The Red Bandanna
by Bandit
Summary: We see how I got my name…Another hottie cajun story…
1. The Red Bandanna

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Disclaimer: *Sigh* Okay Voice, consult the files. I don't know why we even have to do this! Damn lawyers. (Oh calm down. Alright children listen up and repeat after the teacher…) I will not steal Bandit's story…I will not steal Bandit's characters, including Bandit without asking her first by emailing her. The X-Peeps are not mine though my inner voice wishes Gambit were. (Grrowww!! Hottie cajun man!!) *Ahem.* ( Thank you, thank you.)

The Red Bandana

"Remy, do you really need to take that?" Switchblade said, putting her hand down on Gambit's suitcase, which he was attempting to fill with three trench coats, four sunglasses and six decks of cards.

He scowled. "Yes! Where else we gonna get sunglasses like dese?"

SwitchBlade rolled her eyes. "Well, this may sound strange Remy, but… You can steal them you know. Seeing as some call you the Prince of thieves." Jubilee giggled. Gambit snorted and continued to cram his suitcase.

"I'm glad we're taking a vacation you guys. We need it. Damn do we need it!" Remy smiled at this exclamation and heartily agreed. "Oui. We gonna see some fun rodeos down in Texas." SwitchBlade and Jubilee glanced at each other. *Rodeos? * Both teens thought doubtfully.

*Over my dead body! *

They had, just the previous week, been granted a vacation. After some long hours of pleading from Jubilee. Texas was… Well, not exactly what they had in mind, but the Professor had actually let them go, so Texas it would have to be. Usually the Professor never let them go anywhere if it wasn't a mission of his. This could very well be a mission, but the three Xmen chose to ignore that.

SwitchBlade and Jubilee had already packed; their trunks were in the car, now Remy had to finish.

"Come ooonnnnn. We're going to miss our fllliiiigghhhtttt…" Jubilee whined. "Yeeeaahhhhhh… Come ooonnnn Remy!" SwitchBlade joined her.

The cajun glared at them as he zipped up his suitcase. "Femmes, I gotta have all dis stuff. I need it." He put on a pair of small black sunglasses, hiding his red and black eyes, as he slipped out the door with his suitcase.

Little Rock, Texas, 3:45 PM

"We don't really have to stay here do we Remy? I mean come on; these people are obviously freaks! Who else would run around in front of bulls with colorful costumes on?" Jubilee said, crossing her arms, then putting her hands up to her face, the arena was kicking up dust.

The bull riders finished and the dust settled down. "Well, at least we got good seats!" Exclaimed Switchblade sarcastically and went into a coughing fit. Jubilee leaned forward in her seat though, as the clowns and jockeys set up the racetrack. "Now this, this might be interesting! Don't get me wrong I love horses. I love races too. The program says that there's a race and then barrel racing an' stuff." Jubilee chattered excitedly as the horses trotted up to the starting boxes.

"In the first box, we have Daystar, a speedy young mare with a rider to match." The announcer boomed over the speakers. "In box two we have Dragonfly, a black stallion that's won all it's races so far." Jubilee bounced excitedly in her seat. "Box three we have The Sundance Kid, a paint stallion that has come in second to Dragonfly every time he runs." The announcer laughed and Remy immediately disliked him. "Along with his very young jockey with her unusual name. Here's Bandit And Sundance in Box three." 

"Sundance?" Said Jubilee. "Isn't that an old famous bankrobber?" Added SwitchBlade. 

"Bandit sounds like Gambit… perfect match for you eh Gumbo?" She said, using Wolverine's nickname for Gambit. "Gambit?" She stared at Remy, then followed his gaze to a young girl, about her age, riding bareback on a paint horse. A red bandana covered half of her face and her dark hair that was cut to her earlobes swept in front of her face.

"Now those are cutoffs." Exclaimed SwitchBlade as she glanced at the girl's short shorts. They tasseled and frayed bottoms looked like they had been worn every day. Her ragged tank top looked as if it had come from a dump, no doubt someone's old wifebeater. Her face looked like a face that had seen everything and everyone, yet still managing to look young. Remy admired that. 

She was frowning, not because she was sad, but just because there was no reason to smile. Many people mistook her expression for sadness, but it wasn't. Just the lack of something to smile at.

Remy used to have that expression. He remembered it quite well. Those days before he had been picked up by Jean-Luc. Not the happiest of days. Not at all. But then he had picked a strange man's pocket, a fellow pickpocket if you will. And here he was.

Gambit sighed dreamily as he rested his chin on his hands, gazing over the track. "Yeah, Gambit is crazy!" Jubilee remarked loudly, staring at Remy. He didn't hear. "Hmph. Well, at least we know who he wants to win."

They watched as Bandit dropped her reins to brush a strand of hair out of her eyes, not caring what her mount's reaction was.

"Alriiiiiggghhhttt folks! If the riders are ready I'm sure we can begin the race soon!" The announcer's voice shouted through the megaphones and Remy winced. "I hope you've placed your bets folks cause heeeeerrrreeee weeeeee goooooooo!" The starting gun banged and the horses took off. Bandit took the lead fast and Remy and the girls cheered. The black named DragonFly pulled up next to her and Gambit jumped up shouting, "Come on chere! You can do it petite!" SwitchBlade giggled at the overexcited cajun. "Hey Gambit, looks to me like you gotta crush on a girl with half a face." He rolled his eyes while Jubilee joined him, standing. "Look, look! The blacks coming closer!" Jubilee shrieked. DragonFly, indeed, was coming up closer to the haunches of Sundance.

"Come on! Go Sundance!" Cheered the three Xmen. As if she could hear, Bandit kicked her horse hard and glanced up at the stands. She met Remy's eye and the whole world seemed to slow as he captured in the sight of her eyes, golden brown. And the smile that he could see, even with the bandana around her face. A tingle passed through Gambit's body as she winked at him and turned her head away. The world rushed up upon him again as he lost contact with her eyes.

He sighed and continued to watch, while Jubilee and SwitchBlade watched him curiously.

The jockey on DragonFly came up right next to her and pulled out his crop from his belt, whipping his horse as hard as he could to catch up with Bandit and her paint. He sided with her momentarily, an arms reach away, and holding his crop over his head brought it down upon her, cutting her face with the silver tassels attached to the expensive whip. She cried out and all the horses in the race reacted, rearing, whipping around, bucking insanely and crying out challenging screams of panic, throwing their riders to the ground, including DragonFly's. Bandit stayed on her horse, which trotted easily closer to the finish line, finishing the race. Bandit was bent over her mount, a hand cupped over her eye.

"Hmm. I'm guessing we're not the only mutants here." Remarked SwitchBlade dryly as the crowd shouted angry remarks about muties and cheating filth. "I've never heard of that power before though. Really western. Probably has a lasso." Jubilee said, quite seriously.

Bandit: Ha!! So this is where I got my name… It all comes out with a kick ass character. Alright folks, the moment you've-

Voice: Read and Review. It's what we want. It's what this pycho is trying to say. We like reviews. They are good. 

Bandit: :o( Fine then Voice. If you didn't like that gimme your sayso and if you did I'll keep writing it.

Voice: Good and subtle gal.


	2. The Red Bandanna 2: Choices

  
  
::coughs:: *ahem* I know I have not written this in a long time, and lots of you will have to go back and read the first one again. And you'll probably be mad at me for taking so long, but I HAD TO DO IT!!! (uh huh. Suuurreee) Oh shut up.  
Well, you may be mad that this is the last Bandit fic I've written or am going to write. I just don't like to write about myself! Well, you know. With my name. Then the person turns out like me and nobody would wish that on their worst enemy. ::evil chuckle::  
(I would.) That's because you're evil VOICE. Or maybe really really stupid.  
(Well, technically I'm in your head, so that's really your bad. Not mine.)  
::Bandit shifts uncomfortably:: well…erm…SHUT UP!!  
  
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The Red Bandanna: Part Two: A Choice  
  
  
  
Gambit stared after the retreating girl, her mount was walking over to the stables. The race was over.  
"It's a damn mutie, that's what it was!" Shouted the excitable crowd.  
*Soon dere gonna find out where she went…Den dey might hurt someone.* Thought the Cajun, hopping down from the dusty bleachers and jogging over to the stables.  
"Where's he goin'?" Asked SwitchBlade, suspicious.  
"Ta go meet a lady friend I bet." Snickered Jubilee. She knew what pissed her friend off.  
"Shut up! Jubilee, your not funny." Growled Aphrodite, shoving Jubilee off of one end of the bleacher.  
"Okay, like, OUCH!" Shouted Jubilee from the ground.  
  
*_____________________*_______________________*_________________*  
  
  
Gambit climbed in through the window, careful not to make any noise.  
He heard a girl's voice, and the soft whicker of a horse.  
"Why do they hate me? Ah didn't do anything wrong ta them. They just hate me…' The girl said softly.   
Gambit looked through a knot hole in a stall.   
The girl named 'Bandit' was leaning against her horse, nursing her swollen eye.  
"An' then that blasted idiot! Jus' had ta go an' hit mah eye…" She spat vehemently.  
"Cain't they jus' leave me alone?!"  
Gambit cocked his head curiously. Apparently she was talking to her horse.   
  
*Well, whatever floats your boat…*He thought, looking outside the barn, where the mutant haters were coming closer.  
"Who's there?" Challenged the girl's voice and Gambit froze.  
Her turned around slowly to see her brandishing a whip in a clenched fist.  
"Who are ya? 'Nother mutie hater?" She said softly, backing up.  
"Non chere. I be Gambit. I'm a mu'ant too." He said, taking his sunglasses off and blinking his red and black eyes against the light.  
"Oh, well. Ya bettah go then. They'll come soon. Then they'll kill me." She said calmly.  
From here Gambit could see she was about fourteen, or even younger. He felt a great swell of sorrow for her.  
"Non, dey not gonna kill you! We gonna get outta here. There's a place in New York. You know? Charles Xa-"   
"Ah know. He's supposed to help mutants. He can't help me. They're gonna kill me." She said again. With none of the slightest trace of fear.  
"Not if you come with Remy petite…Charlie can help ya. If you come with me, we can go back ta New York an'-"   
"No." She interrupted.  
"Ah'm staying here. This is my home. They hate. They'll find me Gambit. They will. They all hate me." She was becoming hysterical now, as the sounds of the mob were growing louder.  
"No, no see, you can come with me. Then you'll be safe…We can't stop dem from hating us, but we can keep safe."  
"Ah don' want ta live in a world where people hate me." The young girl said from behind her bandanna.  
"Ah can't live in a world where everybody hates. I can feel them! They hate so much…" She broke off with a sob.  
"You have ta go! They'll fins you…An' kill you too. You a mutie." She wasn't making any sense now, fear taking hold of her.  
The mutant haters were pounding on the doors now , they hadn't seen the windows as a possibility yet.  
  
"Let us in you stinkin' mutie!! We know you're in there!" One man yelled.  
A gunshot rang out and the barn door shook.  
  
{}  
  
"Jubilee, is Gambit in there?" SwitchBlade yelled over the crowd, pointing at the barn.  
"I think so! We have to get past all these people first!!" Jubilee yelled back.  
Some of the mob had conveniently found torches and were busy trying to set the barn on fire.  
"We have to stop them Jubilee! Gambit's going to get hurt!" SwitchBlade yelled, running toward the barn, which now had tongues of flame flickering up the sides.  
Jubilee followed, pulling her pink shades down over her eyes.  
  
____________________________________________________________________________________  
  
The girl sat down on a hayloft near her horse, sobbing.  
"Ah cain't make them not hate me! Ah didn't do *anything*!" She screamed.  
"I know chere. That's why we 'ave to get out of here, so we can work on dat little problem." Gambit soothed, tugging on the girl's arm.  
  
"Let me go." Her voice was at a whisper now.  
"They've set the barn on fire. Look." She pointed upward at the skylight, where flames where flickering.  
"Den we really need ta get outta here…C'mon chere, please! We can help you!" Gambit begged, already getting hot in his trenchcoat.  
"No! Let me go! I want to die! In heaven no one will hate me." Tears slid down her dirty cheeks, leaving muddy rivers on the parts of her face you could see.  
  
"I can't leave you here! Please come with me!!" Gambit shouted in panic, trying to pick the girl up.  
He felt a sharp pain in his back and turned to see her horse Sundance, behind him.  
"He'll kick you 'gain if Ah tell 'im to." Said the girl dully, burying her face in her horse's mane.  
  
"Ah just wanna leave here. Someplace warm and nice. Heaven would be good Gambit. Don't you understand? Death…Is only the beginning…" She looked up at him and suddenly he knew.  
He couldn't help her.  
It wasn't suicide. It was…Accepting death.  
He turned and made a running jump out of the window.  
Behind him, the rafters collapsed on both animal and girl.  
  
  
  
"Gambit! Remy…" Aphrodite gathered him in her arms and cried.  
"I thought you died, I was so worried."  
"I's okay now chere. Everyt'ings fine non? Where's Jubilee?" He asked, patting her back reassuringly.  
"I dunno. Once the police came I think she disappeared for awhile. Better for the police not to find the 'little girl who was setting off fireworks and burned down the barn'." SwitchBlade shrugged.  
"She's probably hiding in a Port A Potty some where around here. Hey, you okay?"  
She said, looking at Gambit.  
He was staring bright-eyed, at the barn. Tears were glistening in his red and black eyes and Aphrodite didn't really *want* to know what happened.  
  
"Remy…" She said, putting her arms around him.  
"Let's go home? I've had enough vacation to last me awhile."  
Gambit got up from the dusty ground, pulling his girlfriend with him.  
"Lets."  
  
  
Meanwhile, in a bathroom on the other side of the rodeo…  
  
"Guys? Guuyyyaazzz…? I…um…locked myself in here?" Jubilee banged on the door. "Help me please?"  
  
  
____________________________*_____________________*_______________________*________________________*  
  
Bandit: Well, there. I killed her off.   
(Just to clear things up…when we get bored with things we kill 'em.")  
Bandit: Yup. So, hoped you liked it.  
R/R!!!  
EAT A RUBBER DUCKY SIR!!!! YES YOU HEAR ME!!! EAT. A RUBBER PENGUI- (Duck you idiot. You can't even remember what you said.)  
::Bandit makes that little sign from Friends that means F you…::  
(Oow…that hurt. MAY I HAVE ANOTHER SIR!!!)  
Bandit: Oh shut up.  



End file.
